The present invention relates generally to electric generator apparatus, and more particularly to wind driven electric generator apparatus.
Many wind driven electric generators have of course been developed within years past; however, it has been found that the atmospheric winds tend to mechanically disturb and destroy such devices. An example of one such device is the conventional wind mill. The primary problem characterizing conventional wind mills is the fact that the prevailing winds are directed parallel to the axis of rotation of the wind mill blades and substantially perpendicular to the blades per se. Not only then has it been observed that the atmospheric winds tend to destroy such type of apparatus within a relatively short period of operative use, but even more importantly, or just as importantly, the apparatus is simply not an efficient generator of electric power.
Another type of electric power generator is exemplified by the apparatus disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 757,800 issued to Williams. While the directional wind flow is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel, the system is simply too massive and inefficient to service as a practical means of generating electric power. Only a single wind concentrator or nozzle is provided within the Williams system in order to rotate the massive paddle wheel thereof, and it has been found that insufficient dynamic pressures, with correspondingly low wheel speed angular velocities, are developed with such systems.